Bread and Butter Pudding is surely the ultimate use of leftover bread!! While wonderful made with pre-sliced bread, it’s company-worthy made with chunks of bread, whether it’s a leftover loaf, dinner rolls or even hot dog buns(!)
A classic comfort dessert, custardy on the inside, golden and buttery on top. The only real question is this: what will you serve it with? Ice cream, cream, custard – or something else? 😉
Bread and Butter Pudding
I remember the first time I had Bread and Butter Pudding. I was really cynical. Stale bread for a dessert?? It sounded ridiculous.
How wrong I was.
If you’ve never tried Bread and Butter Pudding before, be prepared to be amazed because it truly is a thing of beauty. Try telling me you don’t want to eat this!!
And while it’s well-known as a rustic, home-style dessert of frugal origins, nowadays the humble Bread and Butter Pudding even makes an appearance on the menu at upscale bistros! Though admittedly, they tend to make it with rich and extra-buttery bread like brioche and challah, which gives it a really luxurious edge.
But today, we’re using old school, economical everyday plain white bread. 😇 Though I think you’ll agree there’s nothing economical about how this tastes!!!
What you need for Bread and Butter Pudding
Bread…butter… and just a few other things: eggs, milk, cream (or more milk), sugar (less than in most recipes you’ll find), plus sultanas or raisins, cinnamon and vanilla for flavour.
Best bread for bread and butter pudding
I think it’s better to use bread that hasn’t been pre-sliced because then you can cut or tear it into chunks so you get a better custardy texture inside and WAY better crunch on the surface — very appealing characteristics of a Bread and Butter Pudding that I deem company-worthy!
However, my recipe includes directions for the best way to layer pre-sliced bread as well.
As for what type of bread, it’s best to use a soft plain or sweet bread:
Plain white bread – sliced, unsliced, loaf, block, rolls, hot dog or hamburger buns
Raisin bread or other similar flavoured bread that will suit a sweet dessert
Buttery breads – like brioche and challah
Stale plain cake – I personally am not the type to leave leftover cake lying around until it becomes stale, but if you happen to, then by all means use it. Just be a bit more gentle when tossing in egg mixture
Not recommended / “unusual” results…..
Bread that is TOO stale – slightly stale bread is ideal (see recipe notes), but bread that’s so gone dry it crumbles into breadcrumbs when you crush it, or if it’s rock hard and you can’t tear it by hand, or so solid you can grate it into bread crumbs, it is no good. This is because once soaked in the egg mixture, it will disintegrate into breadcrumbs;
Very crusty and chewy artisan bread (like sourdough) – while it will work just fine, it will not be as soft and custardy. Mind you, the sourdough sold at grocery stores and everyday bakeries are not that crusty so will work fine, I am mostly referring to the more expensive (proper) sourdough;
Seeded and savoury flavoured breads – I’m not here to tell you how you should or should not flavour your bread and butter pudding, but I will say that using Cheese and Bacon Rolls might yield a somewhat odd result…😂
Heavy breads – Pumpernickel, dense ryes and the like …. obviously.
Today I’ve used a stale loaf of plain white cob bread that was intended for another recipe that never happened.
How to make Bread and Butter Pudding
Here’s how to make it:
Cut or tear bread into chunks;
Whisk wet ingredients and flavourings together;
Mix through bread gently – especially if using bread that’s not stale because it will disintegrate – then leave to soak for 3 minutes so the bread really absorbs all the flavour;
Transfer to baking dish, then drizzle with butter (because, after all, we are making a Bread and BUTTER Pudding!) which will make the top extra golden;
Bake 25 – 30 minutes until golden but still jiggly underneath when you poke it; and
Optional – brush with more butter to make it glisten and for extra buttery flavour.
Pre-sliced bread – the steps are a bit different because the slices are thinner so it’s better to butter then layer them, then pour over the custard mixture. I’ve included directions in the recipe notes.
It looks pretty unimpressive when you soak the bread in the egg mixture, and you will probably be dubious – I certainly was the first time I made this. But have faith! Because half an hour in the oven will transform THIS….
….into THIS!!!
Golden and crusty on the surface, and beautifully custardy inside, once you start eating, it is impossible to stop!
Large one for sharing – or individual servings
For ease of preparation, I’ve made this in one big baking dish but you can certainly make individual ramekins if you’d like. That’s how it’s made at upscale bistros, and it plates up really nicely if you put the ramekin on a plate along with a little jug of sauce or a dish of ice cream.
If you make one large one, just leave it to rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. It will make it “set” slightly so you can cut neat slices rather than the bread pieces tumbling everywhere.
Also, a nice way to serve it is to cut square pieces and stack them on top of each other to make it look taller, which is how it’s pictured throughout this post.
Toppings for Bread and Butter Pudding
I intentionally make my Bread and Butter Pudding less sweet than most – I only use 1/2 cup of sugar compared to around 1 1/2 – 2 cups for the same quantity of bread in some versions – because my base assumption is that there WILL be toppings.
There’s plenty of options, and here are just a few ideas:
Ice cream – the contrast between creamy and cold against hot/crusty/custardy is just a match made in heaven;
Custard – rich and silky, I prefer using the pouring kind but the dolloping kind would be terrific too!
Cream or mascarpone
Strawberries and cream (YES!)
Maple syrup, golden syrup, honey
Chocolate sauce, strawberry, salted caramel or other sweet sauces
Fellow Bread and Butter Pudding fans! TELL ME – what is your favourite topping? Let’s round out the list!! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
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Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 8 heaped cups white bread, preferably slightly stale, cut into 2.5 cm / 1" cubes (see Note 1 if for pre-sliced bread)
- 1 cup sultanas or raisins (or more!)
Egg Mixture:
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk (low or full fat, not zero fat)
- 1 cup heavy / thickened cream (or any other cream, Note 2 for more milk option)
- 3 tbsp / 40g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Finishes / Serving
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted – for top pre baking
- 20g / 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted – for brushing post baking (optional)
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting
- Ice cream, cream, custard, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, etc
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types)
- Egg Mixture: Place eggs in a large bowl, whisk briefly. Add remaining Egg Mixture ingredients and whisk.
- Soak Bread: Add bread and sultanas, briefly mix, then set aside for 3 minutes to allow egg mixture to soak through the bread.
- Transfer to baking dish: Pour into a baking dish (10 cup / 2.5 litre / 2.5 quart). If you have lots of sultanas on the surface, poke them below the surface (Note 3).
- Drizzle then bake: Drizzle over melted butter, then bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden on top and the inside is set but still slightly wobbly (poke to check).
- Brush with remaining 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter (optional), then dust with icing sugar.
- Serve – rest for a few ninutes, then serve immediately, with toppings of choice! My favourites are ice cream, custard and cream.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published April 2017. Updated with sparkling new photos and video – because I had a disaster recipe filming week this week, needed something low stress to shoot to share today, and because I had a giant loaf of stale bread to use!
More cosy warm desserts
Life of Dozer
Yet another benefit of shaved-belly-Dozer……
…..less WATER SPRAY! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been splattered when I’m not suitable attired. At least I can enjoy 20% less splatter until his fur grows back!!!
And from the original publication date:
Mine!
(And for once, he’s right. They were on sale. I stocked up!!!)
Hi Nagi
I am passionate about baking and cooking in the kitchen .Yesterday,baked your chocolate muffins with the buttercream frosting …As usual they turned out amazing with just the right amt of sugar .
Whilst I am writing this to you ,I have your bread pudding baking in the oven and at night your Mediterranean muffins are coming up For the family
Total addict I have become .
Thank you tons for all your recipes
Love from India
Wahoo, that sounds great Zia!! N x
Dear Nagi,
Did this this afternoon, we had a sweet lunch to defeat the odd! I omitted the raisins and used semi sweet chocolate. It was nice and we all enjoyed it.
Thanx a lot for sharing your experience via your recipes. This is the first website I came across where a clear instruction and the possibilities of things will happen if substitutes used written down clearly. Kinda off addicted to your website for the past one week. I have a list of your recipe in my TO-DO list before Movement Control Ends….
#StayHome #StaySafe
Thanks so much Shamala, love to know what you think of more recipes if you try them!! N x
If i am not adding the cream should i increase the quantity of milk?
Hi Aamenah – you really need the cream in this one to make that custard like base 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
This recipe looks amazing! I’m wondering if I used hot cross buns should I still cut them up into cubes? I’ve seen other recipes leave them whole. And would you reduce sugar due to sugar in the buns? Thank you and happy Easter x
WHYYYYYYYYY are your recipes so gosh darn delicious?!!??!?! 😛 I did a freezer clean out last night which resulted in 5 loaves worth of bread ends. I am anti food wastage (espec with the apocalypse right now!), so right away looked up your website and ‘bread and butter pudding’ (I have loved every recipe of yours so far so knew it would be a winner)… and boy, oh, boy, it did NOT disappoint. Only a few modifications – I reduced the sugar to about 80g and didn’t baste with butter (you know, so it would be ‘healthier’ hahaha) and cooked in a water bath for a little longer than the suggested time. The top was lovely and crusty and the inside was custardy heaven. Served with thickened cream, because I don’t do anything in halves. haha Thank you for another awesome recipe.
Hi Nagi!
This isn’t anything like the methods I’ve used for bread and butter puddings past – but it may well be the only one I use in the future! Holy cow this was great!
Had a loaf of (fairly bland!) white sourdough we’d bought the day before and didn’t use – didn’t have enough room in the freezer for it – but really didn’t wanna waste it! – so thought B&B pudding – and thought I’d look up your site to get your take on it…
I was a little dubious – where was the marmalade? – and the method seemed more like a sweet strata than the pudding I was used to…
But you haven’t let me down – so made it as instructed.
The only mild tweak was that after pouring the melted butter on top at the end – I gave it a generous sprinkle of Demerara sugar as well – which turned all crunchy after baking (and not cloyingly sweet!).
Really – fantastic! Thank you again!
PS: I left the crusts on except for the too-thick bottom one – too hard to faff around with the rest of ‘em – so did leave the pudding to soak a while while the main course was in the oven (your slow roasted lamb shoulder! Am heading there to comment next! Lol!) – so yeah – crusts were fine and beautifully crunchy on top with the butter and sugar!
Sounds fabulous Ron, I love the sugar idea! N x
Can I use sweetened condensed milk for the cream…?
Hi Mikki, I feel it would be far too rich and sweet with it as is – although I’d love to know if it works without the sugar and sweetened condensed milk in place of cream. N x
I’ll try it both ways and let you know! Thanks Nagi!
Hi
What bread did you use in the recipe in the video please, Nagi ?
Hi Eva, just a white block loaf – N x
Followed the recipe exactly and the outcome is fantastic. Even my picky family members love it!
I grew up eating the wonderful bread pudding my mother made. I haven’t made yours yet, but am hoping it is as good as what I remember her’s being. Because, of course, I didn’t bother to get her recipe before she passed. (Kick to my rear end.) Any way, we ate it fresh out of the oven with just plain milk poured over it. Try it – it’s delicious that way. Yum – I am going to have to make this tomorrow!
Oh Cherie, I love food memories! I hope this recipe stacks up to your Mothers ❤️
Im not a good baker but when I made this, it was absolutely delicious. I couldnt stop myself from eating and kept dreaming about it once it is long gone.
Sorry, I forgot. I live in the USA, so yes, we call it bread pudding here.
I’m so glad you loved it Nur! Sounds like you nailed it!
Could I make this with chocolate chips instead of/with sultanas??? 😋
Yes and YES! Enjoy!
Our kids have just asked us to come to dinner tonight and I would love to take your bread pudding but not sure how long it will keep after baking it in our kitchen and transferring to their home! Should I serve at room temp or can I give it a slight warm up before dessert needed and if so at what temp should I warm it up at??
Hi Daphne, you can serve at room temp or quickly zap in the microwave to warm it up 🙂
Amazing! Everyone loved it. I mixed stale bread, croissants and brioche. Finger licking/bowl licking good
Sounds like you nailed it Marie!!
Loved this recipe! Super easy to make and follow, bonus it tastes super yummy.
I substituted the bread for croissants, left out the raisins and made a condensed milk anglaise. Worked like a bomb.
I’m so glad it worked for you Shivani!
Amazing recipe!! Quick and simple
Wahoo, I’m so happy you liked it Afiyah! ❤️
After a bad bread and butter pudding experience as I child I swore that I could not stomach this dessert. The thought of soggy bread just grossed me out. But I said to myself “this is Nagi’s recipe, let’s give it a go” and oh my god! I have been converted. I had it with your Custard (Creme Anglaise) and I went from gagging to dreaming about this dessert. Can’t wait for my next conversion! 🙂 Thanks again
Glad to hear I could help convert you Suna! I feel a bit like a missionary now haha! — Nx
Nagi, how do you make this cream sauce you pour over the bread pudding in the photo?
All recipes that I make from your blog was a success! Thank you for sharing them with us!
Hi Lalenya – It’s my Homemade Custard. https://discountspot.info/custard-creme-anglaise/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Love the website, Nagi! I’m going to try the bread pudding today!
Thanks Pamela, love to know what you think of the Bread and Butter Pudding once you’ve tried it! Enjoy! N x
Just an update…the Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups were a fantastic addition! I made them into fine crumbs and sprinkled them on top before baking. Excellent combination with the fruit and chocolate chips. This is a fantastic recipe and a great way to use up pantry staples. Thanks again!